TENNIS: Campbell Hall graduate, USC star Sabrina Santamaria sees rally come up short in World University Games final

Sabrina Santamaria was on the verge of one of the most humbling losses in her tennis career Tuesday in the World University Games final in Kazan, Russia.

Then the Campbell Hall graduate almost pulled off one of the greatest comebacks in tournament history, nearly forcing a deciding set against Japan's Sachie Ishizu.

Although the USC star rallied from a one-set deficit and a five-game hole in the second to win five consecutive games, Santamaria's inspired rally came up short, as Ishizu regrouped in time to win the gold medal with a 6-2, 7-5 victory.

Santamaria was trying to become the first American female to win a World University Games singles gold medal since Gigi Fernandez since 1983. Her silver medal was the best result by a U.S. female since 1995.

Nerves got the best of Santamaria in the first set as her serve was broken in the opening game, with Ishizu - ranked No. 217 in the world - breaking again on her way to building a 4-0 lead. Although Santamaria held serve facing a 5-1 deficit to force Ishizu to serve out the set, it turned out to be the start of a six-game run for the Japanese star, who didn't drop a set in six tournament matches.

Trailing 5-0 in the second, Santamaria finally broke Ishizu - her first of three break points converted - to begin the improbable five-game run.

But with a chance to take her first lead in the 11th game of the second set, Santamaria had her serve broken for the sixth time and Ishizu served it out to secure Japan's first World University Games women's singles gold medal since Kaoru Shibata in 1995.

Santamaria had only dropped one set in her first six matches, defeating five opponents ranked in the top 900 in the world, highlighted by a 7-5, 7-5 second-round win over Thailand's Luksika Kumkhum, ranked No. 117.

Ishizu, who had 31 winners to Santamaria's four, hadn't allowed an opponent more than three games in a set before the second.